Silverfish are a fairly common insect that occasionally invade homes and businesses. Their presence is nothing short of a nuisance with their destructive ways and most efforts to rid them of your home or business seems to be ineffective. Because no one wants any kind of pest in their home, getting rid of them typically requires the aid of a professional. A-Tex Pest Management would like to cover the basics of silverfish.
What Do Silverfish Look Like?
Silverfish are generally a bluish-silver color, or range from white to brown-grey. With their teardrop-shaped bodies measure in between about ½ inch to ¾ inches in length and feature 3 long bristles on their rears. They can easily adapt into most climates, however, silverfish favor dark and damp places and are frequently found in attics, basements, bathrooms, and kitchens. They are commonly hunkering down in stored boxes in garages and sheds because they are partial to paper and damp fabrics.
Diet of Silverfish
Silverfish feeding habits include feasting on clothing and wallpaper and they are notorious for their destruction of wallpaper and clothing. Additionally, sugars, starches, and carbohydrates are among the silverfish’s favorites. Other food sources include cellulose, shampoos, glue in books, linen, silk, and dead insects. They are frequently found pilfering food in unopened food packaging.
Why Do I Suddenly have Silverfish in My House?
Silverfish are often introduced into homes unknowingly inside cardboard boxes and plastic containers recently stored in infested areas. These infects will also slip through cracks in the foundation, torn screens as well as the gaps around the doors. Leaving the dirty dishes out in the open will often attract silverfish in the area.
Can You Get Sick from Silverfish?
Though silverfish are not linked to any transmittal diseases, these pests can trigger allergies in some people. However, having silverfish infest your home can attract predators such as carpet beetles. The damage they cause in addition to the aforementioned items also include chewing holes into clothing, upholstery, or paper as well as devouring any stored grains. If their numbers are high, they can ruin books, documents, and vintage clothing.
Signs of a Silverfish Infestation
If you have silverfish infesting your home, you might notice the signs before their numbers get out of hand. Seeing tiny pepper-like feces or detecting damage from feeding habits, as well as seeing them in person crawling around the floor or along the sink or bathtub. Silverfish are nocturnal and move exceptionally quickly. Being secretive in their actions, they may go unnoticed for long periods of time and the severity of an infestation may not be known because silverfish reproduce rapidly.
What Keeps Silverfish Away?
Because the silverfish prefer moisture, they are highly likely found in places with high humidity but they can survive in nearly in any environment. In humid areas, nymphs develop quicker in humid environments. The best preventative measures of an infestation are to control humidity. Open up all the vents in crawl spaces, be sure to use baseboards with caulking in basements, and be diligent with your house keeping, secure food in sealable containers, and ensure lids are closed on all trash cans.
Occasional Invader Pest Inspections, Treatment, Control, Removal & More in Austin, Round Rock, Leander, Pflugerville & Cedar Park Texas
If you believe you have silverfish infesting your home, call in the experts of A-Tex Pest Management today and let our professionals effectively remove them from your home or business!
